Time up for illegal air charter operators

Recently, the committee inaugurated by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to probe illegal operations of private charter operators and other related matters gave an update on how far it has gone with the national assignment.

The committee is chaired by the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, with the Managing Director of TopBrass Aviation, Captain Roland Iyayi, as spokesperson and others as members.

The inauguration of the committee on June 27, which has three months to carry out its investigations, make recommendations and submit its findings to the minister, became a child of necessity following several complaints from legitimate commercial air charter operators, coupled with disturbing security reports from the country’s security institutions alleging, among others, money laundering and drug smuggling operations by charter operators.

Prior to the inauguration of the committee by the minister, the activities of the majority of private charter operators had become a topical issue at different fora but sadly with no proactive measures taken to stem the tide.

Amongst the terms of reference given to the committee are: taking inventory of all PNCF holders and recommend practical measures to be put in place to ensure they do not conduct illegal charter operations and determine why the practice of illegal charter by PNCF holders persist in the country despite regulatory controls to this effect.

The committee is also expected to call in all professional licenses of pilots and crew in the country and determine their authenticity and validity and recommend to the minister extra measures to be taken by regulatory agencies to stem the tide.

It is worthy to acknowledging the calibre of the committee in view of the experiences of the members when it comes into airline business, even as the committee has since embarked on the fact-finding mission.

In the course of carrying out investigations into the activities of the private charter operators, the long time fears of many stakeholders and other Nigerians on their activities, which had for so long tilted towards crimes and fraud, seemed to have been confirmed  in view of the findings made in the preliminary report given by the committee last week.

According to the committee, it was discovered that between 2005 and 2024, business private jets in the country has grown from 44 to 157, representing an increase of 357 percent.

The committee equally said: “We have indeed uncovered the prevalence of illegal air charter operations in the country. Even more alarming is the fact that we have uncovered that these illegal air charter operations are not only restricted to small time operators, but also include some high-net-worth individuals using their private jets.”

In the midst of the happenings, the Federal Government has continued to suffer huge financial losses to the activities of some of the private charter operators.

In all honesty, the revealing findings has only further gone to show that all is not well with the regulatory monitoring system of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on one side and that of the national security agencies.

For the committee to confirm through its findings the prevalent level of illegal charter operations, which are not only restricted to small time operators but some high-net-worth individual private jet owners, calls for questioning the capacity and capability of the regulatory body as the agent of government saddled with the responsibility of overseeing and monitoring flight operations in the country.

To worsen the case is the fact that most of the complicit aircraft engaged in these illegalities are foreign registered aircraft, which sadly removes them from the close scrutiny of the NCAA. More worrisome is the fact that those behind the foreign registered aircraft are notable Nigerians.

It is on record that the activities of some of the private charter operators, which are not peculiar to Nigeria and has continued in Nigeria for years, have been treated with kid gloves even when billions of naira have been lost.

Also of greater concern is the fact that some of the private jets have been alleged to be involved in drug trafficking and airlifting of criminals and questionable elements to shield their identities from the public and security agencies.

One good point is that with the inauguration of the ministerial committee by Keyamo, it is no longer going to be business as usual for the perpetrators as all eyes would now be focused on them.

While all Nigerians are interested in knowing those behind this abnormal business, one major plea from Nigerians to the government and the minister is the findings and recommendations of the committee should not be swept under the carpet.

Those found wanting for flouting the rules, particularly those behind the foreign registered aircraft, should not only be exposed but made to face the law.

The efforts of the minister and the present government to sanitise the system will definitely help to restore orderliness and adherence to the rules guiding private charter business in the country.

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